The Last Mission
by samwise-skywalker24
Summary: Before living a quiet life as assistant caretaker at Fablehaven, Dale worked as an adventurer for hire. This is the story of his final mission and why he left adventuring behind.
1. Chapter 1

A plain manila envelope rested on the table by the steaming to go cup. Dale Burgess didn't see it until he lifted his coffee to take a sip. It hadn't been there when he sat down a minute ago. He smiled. His employer wasn't a rookie to this game.

Dale didn't touch the envelope and instead casually glanced around his surroundings. A cold morning in January on the West Coast meant few people were hanging around the local park. He noticed several solo joggers, bundled up in colorful athletic clothes on the sidewalk nearby. A few parents and their children walked the path through the trees several feet away. The tables around him had only two other people, both of which had sat down before him. No one seemed to be a likely candidate to be the deliverer of the envelope.

The people in the park continued their mundane activities while Dale watched closely. His past few jobs had earned him a bit of scrutiny from larger organizations so he needed to be extra careful with this mission. His coffee slowly disappeared as the people surrounding him left and were replaced with new comers. Eventually Dale felt sure that no one nearby was watching him, but he waited an extra thirty minutes just to be safe.

Standing up from the table, Dale grabbed his empty cup and the mysterious packet. He made his way out of the park, dropping his cup in a trash can as he went. His apartment was only a few blocks away and certainly the safest place to examine the envelope's contents. The only problem would be Warren.

Dale took a lounger route to his building, just in case someone was following him. Eventually he arrived at the somewhat run down apartment. The elevator was still out of order, so he took the stairs to the eighth floor.

"Hey Warren. I'm back," he said as he entered the living room. The entire apartment had been a mess when he left earlier since Warren had insisted on having a "small get together" to celebrate the last day of his stay the previous night. Things had gotten a bit out of hand, but Dale didn't mind. Warren was his younger brother by twelve years, which had made it hard for the two to form any kind of bond. Now that Warren was an adult though and going to school at a university only a few hours away, Dale had become close with his brother. It helped that Warren spent every break at Dale's since their parents had passed away a few years ago.

The apartment was spotless now, in stark contrast to the state he left it in. Water was running in the bathroom which led Dale to conclude that Warren was showering after having completed all the cleaning.

Dale fingered the envelope in his hands. He couldn't be sure how long Warren would be showering so he forced himself to have just a little more patience. Warren was catching a ride back to school with a friend who was planning to pick him up in less than an hour. Besides, as important as this new job was, his brother would always be his top priority.

Moving a stuffed duffle bag from the couch, Dale sat down and placed the packet on the coffee table. With nothing better to do, he turned the TV on and watched the local news. The sound of water stopped only a few minutes later making Dale extra grateful he had waited to open the envelope. His brother walked into the room with only a towel around his waist.

"I didn't think I'd see you before I left," Warren said as bent down to pick up the duffle bag Dale had moved.

"My meeting was shorter than I expected," Dale explained. "Are you going to put clothes on or just spend the next three hours in a towel?"

Warren grinned. "I wonder what Jenny would say if I got into her car dressed like this."

Dale shook his head. "Don't scar the poor girl. She is your way back afterall."

"You're right. I guess I should put on something else. Thanks for reminding me. I would have forgotten," Warren joked.

"Knowing you, I wouldn't be surprised if you actually did."

Warren scowled at him. "That's not true. Whenever have I ever forgotten something as important as clothes?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Dale smiled.

Warren thought for a moment. "No, I actually don't. Anyway, I forgot to not pack my clothes for today so that's why I'm in a towel, just in case you were wondering."

"I figured. You'd better hurry though. Jenny normally shows up early," Dale reminded his brother.

Warren didn't say anything else as he stood up with clothes in his arms. He walked back to the bathroom and closed the door.

Dale chuckled to himself and began flipping through channels on the TV. He was going to miss Warren, but the packet on the table was just begging to be opened. Dale wasn't sure how much longer he could resist the call. This was going to be an exciting day.


	2. Chapter 2

The rain began in the early evening. Dale had hoped it would have stopped before his meeting, but as luck would have it, the weather only got worse. Between the clouds and the early sunset, the apartment's windows were already growing dark.

Dale checked his watch. He still had a few minutes before he needed to leave the safety of his apartment. Warren had left pretty quickly that morning after changing, giving Dale plenty of time to fully investigate the contents of the envelope.

Inside of the packet had been a stone engraved with his initials, DB; a slip of paper with information for his upcoming meeting; a new identity complete with a driver's license, passport,and credit card; a key; and a small canister of butter. The instructions made it clear that he needed to bring all the materials given to him as well as anything else he would require for the next two weeks besides weapons and food.

After thoroughly checking each item, Dale had placed everything back in the envelope besides the instructions and the key before putting the envelope in his backpack. He also made sure to pack clothes and other necessities for his upcoming trip. Now all he had to do was wait until it was time to leave. Putting his backpack and duffle bag on the floor by the door, Dale sat down next to it, not wanting to distance himself too much from the envelope.

Even though he had been through similar processes over all his years of being an adventurer for hire, Dale still felt a little apprehensive about his latest gig. It was a little too secretive for his taste and sneaking around always made him extra self conscious about his line of work. He never did anything terrible like killing, but he wasn't above a treasure hunting in a creature's lair or even the occasional a heist from a magically involved mortal. Afterall, they didn't really need the gold or magical items he took from them, and his employers always ensured he was plenty compensated and safely anonymous. Only when he spent long amounts of time with his zealous always-do-good brother (whom Dale left in the dark about his profession) did he start to question whether or not he was in the wrong line of work.

But he couldn't afford that today. Not with so much hanging on the line.

Dale checked his watch again. "Close enough," he muttered, standing up. He swung his backpack onto his back and placed his duffel in a comfortable position on his shoulders. It would be a bit of a walk to the meeting place.

As he exited his apartment, he stood face to face with the neighbor across the hall, DJ. His hand reflexively reached back to where a knife was normally hidden at his side.

"Oh. Look at our timing," she said, a smile on her face.

"No kidding. You headed out to paint the town?" Dale asked, allowing himself to relax a little and drop his hand back down. He also realized that he hadn't brought his knife, since the instructions had been clear about bringing no weapons.

"Ah. No. Nothing so exciting. Just some grocery shopping," she replied.

"Well food is always important," Dale replied.

DJ looked straight into his eyes. "I agree. And right now I only have corn and peanut butter in my pantry so this is an important trip." She laughed, but Dale thought it seemed forced. Her demeanor seemed overly serious despite the joke and big smile.

Dale stared at her in wonder. "Um. Yeah. Have fun with that." He gave his neighbor a tight smile and turned to leave.

"Where are you off to?" As DJ began speaking again, he stopped and turned to face her once more. "Maybe we can walk together or something..." Her voice trailed off. She gave him a hopeful smile, but Dale became only more certain that she was hiding something.

"Unfortunately I'm about to head out on a work trip. Maybe next time."

"Oh. Work trip to where?" DJ took a few steps towards him.

"Um, well…" Dale struggled to find a good answer. He hadn't expected this kind of question from her.

DJ's dark eyes continued to stare into him. "Top secret?" She smiled that same almost genuine smile.

A little unsure of himself, Dale turned away from her. "Something like that. I can talk more about it when I return, but I'm in a hurry right now. When I get back maybe I'll have time to discuss it with you."

DJ didn't move as Dale began to leave. "Alright. When you're home again and have a spare moment, just knock. I'm here most evenings."

"Ok. See you then," Dale agreed, relieved the exchange was over and more anxious about returning home than he was about the secret mission ahead.

He looked back over his shoulder and noticed DJ walking towards the elevator. Chances were that the elevator wasn't fixed yet, but he was half down before he realized he maybe should have mentioned that to DJ. He reprimanded himself and promised to do better next time, but continued down the stairs. Being late would reflect badly on him, and his livelihood required good word of mouth reviews. Besides, she had put him extra on edge which might make things harder. She deserved extra walking for being so nosy.

Dale pulled himself from his thoughts and stopped before stepping outside into the rain. His bags were waterproof, but he didn't think the paper with the instructions would be. Reaching into his jacket's pocket, he felt the key from the packet, his apartment key, and several pieces of paper. Latching onto the paper, he pulled out an old forgotten napkin and the slip from the packet.

The address was at an awkward location. It was a far walk, but not too close to any kind of public transportation. Driving or taking a cab wasn't an option either as secrecy was a priority. Dale had planned to take two trains and a bus and then walk. It wasn't the most time efficient route, but it also made it harder for someone to follow him.

Getting to the mysterious location proved uneventful, but Dale still tried to stay alert the entire time. This job promised to give him the biggest pay off yet, but it also was from the most dangerous and secretive employer he had ever worked for.

As Dale walked down the deserted street listed on the paper, he never saw the right location. At the end of the street he doubled back and paid extra attention to the area. A little past the midpoint, he found what he was looking for. Dale stepped through a small opening in a tall brick fence into a seemingly empty lot. Afraid he had ended up being late despite his careful preparation, he checked his watch again.

When his eyes glanced down, hands grabbed him. Instantly, his reflexes kicked in. He jerked, attempting to throw his attacker, but the arms held strong and placed a wet rag to his mouth. Dale resisted taking a deep breath, but the fumes alone were strong enough to make him drowsy. Within a minute, he lost all consciousness.


	3. Chapter 3

He knew he should be panicking right now, but Dale simply wasn't awake enough to have emotions. Unconsciousness left him slowly, making it hard to think straight at first. It also made it hard to gauge how much time was passing as he returned to the waking world.

The first distinct thought he had was that his head hurt a lot. He then began to realize that his entire body was sore. That's when he realized that he was leaning against a cold wall, but luckily his hands and legs weren't bound.

Eventually he regained enough sense to notice that it wasn't dark where he was. He was tempted to fake being asleep still, but being unable to hear voices made it clear that he wouldn't gain anything from it.

Dale opened his eyes, but had to blink for several seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light. He was surprised to find himself in what appeared to be some kind of bunker. The walls and floor were made up of a dark stone. Bright industrial lights hung from the ceiling. Shelves with weapons, books, and other items took up much of the wall space. Two tables spaced a good distance apart occupied the center.

"He's awake," a female voice said from out of view.

"The boss said to bring him as soon as we could," a male voice responded.

"He'll probably need a few minutes to be fully functional," the first voice said.

Dale tried to speak, but found his throat too sore to do so. Swallowing whatever saliva he could find, Dale tried again.

"Wher-" he started, but had to take a few moments to clear his throat. "Where am I?"

"The meeting location," the second voice replied. A short and sturdy man stepped into Dale's view.

"Meeting location…" Dale struggled to figure out what the man meant. "Oh. For the mission."

The man rolled his eyes before nodding. "Good job genius. I guess ya weren't hired for ya brain." Only now was Dale awake enough to notice his heavy accent, but he still couldn't quite place where it was from.

"Give him a break." A new voice piped in. A child walked over to Dale and offered him a hand up.

"Um. Thanks," Dale said as he grabbed the girl's hand.

"No problem. I'm Jazia by the way and that jerk over there is Jameson," she said. Her two yellow braids screamed ten years old, but her eyes looked much older.

"Well at least I'm no freak," Jameson said pointedly to Jazia.

"You're just mad because I was chosen to be the leader and you weren't."

"Why should an eleven year old be in charge of me? Or anyone on this team?"

Jazia quickly turned to face him. "You will show me the respect I'm due as the designated leader, is that understood?" She walked close to him, and Dale noticed a knife in her hand.

Jameson's face lost some of its color. "Yes, Jazia. My apologies for my outburst."

"Good," Jazia said with a smile. She turned back to Dale. Let's get the new guy acquainted with the work area and then Kelly and I can take him to see the funder."

"Whatever ya say, boss," Jameson said. "I'll show him around." The man turned to Dale. "What's your name?"

"I'm Dale. Jameson right?" Dale responded. He watched as Jazia stepped out of view.

"Yep. I'm the wilderness expert on this venture. Jazia is the leader, as you might have figured out, but she's also our weapons person," Jameson explained while leading Dale to the first of the two tables.

"And I'm the girl in charge of medical needs," a woman said while walking up to the pair. Dale recognized her voice as the first one he had heard when he woke up in the bunker.

She stopped just a couple of feet from Dale. "Call me Kelly," she said, extending her hand. Dale took her hand and shook it. She smiled, and Dale felt she might be the first person to actually want to be his friend.

"Ahem," Jameson interrupted. "Are ya done flirting with the new meat yet Kelly?"

She scowled at him. "Just because you don't know a thing about being nice doesn't mean I'm not going to make friends with others on the team." She dropped Dale's hand. "Dale, we can get to know each other a different time when this brute's not around to ruin it."

Dale watched as she haughtily walked in the same direction Jazia had gone.

"Well that was dramatic," Jameson sighed. "Don't mind her. She's Jazia's niece, and the two share a wicked temper."

"Wait, she's Jazia niece?" Dale asked, the confusion obvious in his voice.

"Aye. But that's Jazia's tale to tell, ain't it?" The shorter man gave Dale a friendly pat on the shoulder and then guestered to the table before them. "Now, on to the official tour."

Dale tried to pay attention to Jameson's thorough explanation of the room and its contents, but his mind was still caught up in everything that had happened since he found the empty lot. Had it really only been earlier that day that Warren left? He simply couldn't focus on his new friend's heavy accent as he rattled on about the bunker, especially with the lingering effects of whatever drug they used to knock him out.

Kelly's return snapped Dale back into focus. "Haven't you finished the tour yet Jamie?" she asked, clearly annoyed.

"We're almost finished. Hold ya horses," Jameson chided. "And don't call me Jamie. Ma name is Jameson. Always has been and always will be."

"Whatever. Jazia is waiting to introduce Dale to Ms. Moneybags. You can finish boring him with your long winded explanations after."

She motioned to Dale to follow as she turned back around. "Let's go. We don't want to keep our boss waiting."

Dale started towards her, but stopped for a moment. He turned back to Jameson. "Thanks for the tour. It was really, uh, informational."

"Aye. No need to lay it on so thick, laddie. Just head up with Kelly. Hopefully I'll see ya after." The older man shooed him away.

Dale smiled and gave a quick nod, before turning away. He resumed following Kelly as more questions swirled around his head than ever before.


	4. Chapter 4

"It was kind of you to lie about Jameson's tour," Kelly said as soon as they stepped out of the main room. The narrow hallway made it so the two had to walk single file with Dale in back.

"I didn't lie," He began to say, but when Kelly glanced backwards with a smirk on her face, he went straight to the truth. "Ok. It was just a white lie, though. I thought it would help us get along better."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me. I was trying to give you a compliment. I don't know if I've ever met anyone who's nice enough to befriend Jameson. It's a good quality to have."

Dale was a little surprised at Kelly's words. He waited several moments before replying. "Oh. Well, um, thanks. I appreciate that."

Kelly didn't respond. The corridor ended at a set of stairs which she promptly started up. Dale paused for a second to more fully examine the area. The steps appeared to be made of the same concrete as the floor of the rest of the bunker. The smooth walls were unadorned just as the hallway had been. Dale found it odd that there wasn't even a handrail.

He then realized that Kelly had paused after several steps and turned to stare at him. "Coming?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry." Dale began up the stairs. "I just got distracted looking at everything."

Kelly laughed. "As if there's much to look at it. You can be honest. I won't judge you."

"I am being honest."

"Ok. Whatever you say." She winked and then continued moving upwards.

After several minutes of thinking, Dale realized that Kelly most likely thought he had been watching her. His face immediately flushed red, making him grateful Kelly was in the lead. After several more hallways, turns, and stairs, they eventually reached a set of steps in which a small girl stood just a few steps high.

"Finally," Jazia said as Kelly and Dale approached her. She looked to her niece as she came to stop just at the foot of the stairs. "Can you wait here for a bit and take Dale back once he's been introduced? I've got some business with the boss that will delay me after his meeting."

The woman quietly agreed before motioning for Dale to move ahead of her.

"Thanks," Dale said while sliding past her in the narrow hallway. Kelly's only response was a knowing smile.

Jazia led Dale up the stairs in silence. He was learning to adjust to the lack of conversation around the bunker. She stopped a few steps away from a sleek door at the top of the staircase.

"Ok. Time for a short list of don'ts before you head in to see the boss," Jazia whispered, leaning close to Dale's ear. The separation of several steps helped decrease the significant height difference between the two.

She grabbed his shoulder and pulled herself a little closer. "First off," she began in an even quieter voice than before. "don't mention her hair."

"What?" Dale asked.

Jazia placed her other hand over his mouth. "Quiet! Just listen. No questions. It'll all make sense after the meeting."

Dale gave a small nod, and she removed her hand.

"Rule number two: don't ask her any personal questions. It's fine if you need clarification on job-related things, but don't venture beyond that. Got it?"

Jazia paused, waiting for Dale to acknowledge he understood. He already felt uncomfortable with this new job, but this was only making his anxiety worse. He forced his feelings of discomfort away and nodded.

"Great. The final rule tends to be the hardest to remember. Let her sit down first, even if she motions for you to sit. This is the most important rule if you like your life. Do you understand all three rules?"

Without saying a word, Dale once again nodded. The directions only made him more nervous. He was starting to think he may have gotten in over his head.

Jazia smiled. "Great. Now it's time for the real test. You go in alone. Hopefully you'll come back out with your mind intact."

She patted his shoulder and motioned him forward. Dale gulped nervously. He ascended the last few stairs quietly. The only sounds were his footsteps, his pounding heart, and the hum of industrial lights above him.

He stopped on the small landing in front of the door. Before reaching for the handle Dale wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped inside.


	5. Chapter 5

The room Dale stepped into felt more like a real living space than any other part of the bunker. A thick rug covered most of the floor. The walls were painted in a warm tone and the flames in the fireplace gave everything a homey feel. Dale felt as if he had stepped into his own grandfather's cozy office to hear a bedtime story rather than a secured room to meet with his mysterious employer.

Just as Dale finished surveying the room, a voice came from the corner and a figure stepped out of the deep shadows.

"We meet at last," a faint female voice entered into his mind and his ears. "Dale Burgess."

The three rules Jazia had gone over with him were quickly forgotten as he searched for an appropriate response.

"Uh, hi," was the best he could come up with. He stared at the shadowy woman, unable to make out any distinct details.

She laughed at his response. "Well, I suppose you weren't chosen for your charismatic personality."

Dale smiled. "No. That's never been my speciality."

"Well we all have our talents. Now Mr. Burgess, won't you please have a seat so we can conduct this interview more comfortably?" She motioned to the desk taking up the center part of the room.

He nodded, but stood still, waiting for her to move towards the desk first as Jazia's words came back to his memory. The air in the room suddenly felt heavy, urging Dale to take a seat by the desk.

"I believe it's proper for you to sit first, ma'am," he managed to say through the weight of the empty space. Dale had never experienced this type of magic before despite his numerous encounters with magic wielding beings including witches, sorcerers, and a demon.

Though her facial features remained obscured in the shadows, he felt sure the woman was smiling. A gentle laugh sounded all around him. "I see Jazia did a better job preparing you for this meeting than she did the last one."

The woman stepped into the firelight and paused, allowing Dale a few moments to catch his breath. He had never seen such a beautiful woman. Her figure was fit, implying she went to the gym often. Her clothes appeared to be high end, but from an older era. Her face seemed young, but mature.

Dale's mouth opened slightly in a mix of awe and horror as his eyes reached hers. The first thing he noticed were her red pupils. The rest of her eyes were the deepest black he had seen. His glance moved up a little further to her hair. It was a translucent white, yet seemed to reflect every color of the rainbow in it. The longer he stared at her, the harder it became to think about anything else besides that her and that hair.

"Whoa," Dale whispered under his breath. He continued to take in every detail of her hair. Gravity seemed to have no effect on it, as it floated in all directions giving an alien vibe to her entire appearance.

"It's impolite to stare," the woman corrected him, a hint of harshness in her voice.

"Oh, uh," He began. "Sorry. Your-" He stopped himself as Jazia's rules replayed in his mind.

"Go on," the woman said. She had stopped right by the large office chair behind the desk.

"You're just a lot younger than I expected." Dale smiled, trying to seem genuine in his lie.

The woman stared at him. He couldn't tell if it was out of curiosity or anger.

After several moments, she broke into a fake smile. "Please, sit. Let's continue with our interview."

"Of course," Dale replied. He didn't move as he watched her sit down. Breathing a gentle sigh of relief, he walked to the desk and took a chair opposite of her.

Nobody spoke for several painfully silent moments. He fidgeted in his chair a bit, forcing himself to wait for the hostess to speak again.

"Well, tell me about yourself, Mr. Dale Burgess. I'm afraid all I know is your name and that you are a skilled adventurer, more knowledgeable than most about magical creatures."

"Oh, well," he said. "That about sums me up."

She stared at him with those cold eyes. "Surely there's more to you than a name and resume. Do you have family? A girlfriend perhaps?"

Dale swallowed. The air felt heavy around him again.

"I simply wish to get to know you better Mr. Burgess. No harm in that, hmm?" Her words pressed hard into his mind.

"I'm single currently, and I live alone." The truth came out of his mouth before he could stop it. Silently cursing himself for getting in over his head, he determined to not share anything more personal than that.

"Oh. I see. No family then?"

The urge to spill his guts about Warren and other distant relations was nearly impossible to resist, but Dale focused on his breathing while reminding himself that he couldn't get his brother involved in this. It could ruin Warren and his future aspirations if word about his ties to a shady brother came out.

"Nope," he said, trying to sound casual in his answer.

"Very well. That makes you a perfect candidate for this team. We only take those who have no one they're leaving behind."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense if the mission is dangerous."

"Well that's part of the reasoning. Do you have any questions for me before we conclude?"

"Um, what exactly is the objective of the mission? The packet never said what we would be doing for the two weeks." Dale said, relieved to finally get some answers.

"A fair question. At the most basic level, you and the rest of the elite team will be helping make the magical world a safer place. Your assignment is to ensure a certain leader among the fairy brookers from attending a meeting in which he is planning to propose new regulations which would greatly harm the wild fairy population."

"Oh," Dale said, somewhat surprised. "That's actually a good cause."

"You're surprised I hired you to do good?" the woman replied, clearly amused.

"It's just not what I was expecting," he amended. "But why do we need two weeks to accomplish this?"

"Well you will need to do some basic surveillance to ensure his disappearance goes unnoticed."

"That makes sense."

"Anymore questions?"

"Just one. Will we meet again before the two weeks finish? Or is this a once ever type of meeting?"

"Ah. I suppose I should explain now. I realize that originally the mission was stated to only be two weeks long, but, well, since we are the type of people who like to keep out of sight and stay in the wind, I'm afraid that you will not be returning to your previous life. I'm sure Jazia, Kelly, and Jameson will enjoy the permanent extra set of hands around here and for other missions"

Dale's mouth dropped open. "I'm sorry… I don't understand. I agreed to a temporary assignment."

"The agreement has been altered. We can't let riff raff and sketchy adventurers such as yourself come and go as they please. This is a covet organization. Once you're in, you don't get to leave."

"I'm afraid that won't work for me," Dale said, standing from his chair. "I appreciate the opportunity, but I'd rather choose my work and my employers."

Before he could move away from the desk, he was forced back into his seat. Laughter filled the room and his head. "You don't get a choice anymore. Welcome to the Shadows."


End file.
